Sean O'Hagan Presents: The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe

Its title alone -- Sean OHagan Presents: The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe -- should strike the hearts of indie pop purists worldwide. London-dwelling Frenchman Philippe earned his stripes in the latter half of the 1980s recording, writing, and producing for the short-lived but beloved U.K. label El Records. Over the decades that followed, he continued to assemble one of smart pops most debonair catalogs, fusing retro 60s pop and rock aesthetics with bossa nova, jazz, classical, and French chanson, essentially launching Japans Shibuya-kei sound in the process. Outside of his own albums, Philippe has produced and arranged for numerous other acts including the Clientele, Martin Newell, and Sean OHagan. Irishman OHagan is himself no slouch, having led his own band of pop sophisticates, the High Llamas, through a multi-decade career while also serving as one of Stereolabs most consistent auxiliary collaborators. In assembling an appropriately reverent anthology of Philippes work, a better executor would be hard to find. The two are direct contemporaries, cult heroes of a small but influential branch of pop music that charts its lineage from transatlantic icons like Michael Legrand, Bones Howe, and Brian Wilson. Released by German imprint Tapete Records, The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe is an impeccably curated overview of the singers work between 1994 and 2007. The mid-90s were a particularly fruitful if frustrating time for Philippe, yielding releases like Delta Kiss, Sunshine, and Jackie Girl, a trio of highly rated albums scattered amongst small, underperforming indie labels. Perhaps, given his eccentric influences, Philippes cult status was a foregone conclusion, but after hearing highlights like "Le Voyageur," "Sweet Dollar Bill," and "Wichi Tai To," its hard not to wonder why he isnt better known outside of more erudite pop circles. From the lush harmonies and mesmerizing crescendos of "Boxing Clever" to the glowing string arrangements and aching vocals on the Andy Partridge-penned "I Cant Own Her," Philippes skills as a multi-tooled craftsman are undeniable. Whether as an introduction to his work or a revisitation, The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe is an essential platter of pop elegance. ~ Timothy Monger